The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-07-15

one of the counsel of the Geneva arbitration
He was given the anpointment of chief
Justice of the supreme court without having
asked for it and having no idea that it would
be rendered him. Representative Hill tells
me how the matter was first called to Grants
attention, and of little meeting at Toledo
which secured Waite the appointment
"Grant was travelling over the United States,
and when he came to Toledo a reception was
prepared for him. The committee on ar
rangements was composed of Waite's friends,
and they were anxious that Grant should ap-
point Waite to his present position. They
said nothing however, and had Waite make
the address Of the occasion. He did this in o
mastery manner, talking to Grant as became
his office, but not overfowing with the nause-
Gus adulation which was so common to Grants
receptions at that time. Grant was delighted
with the effort. He had known of Waite
somewhat in connection with Evarts. He
knew him to be man Of the utmost probity,
and of no political aspirations. He made in
quries about him, and concluded that he was
the proper man to take the place left vacant
by Chief Justice Chase. He appointed Waite,
and no better choice was ever made for such
position. Waite accepted the position, and
intending to retire from it now.n
ga
Speaking Of Waite, Edgerton, and Latty, y
continued Representative Hill, 'they are all
men of extraordinary ability, and Latty is
fully the equal OF Waite In legal learning.
He is an Irishman by birth, who first settled
in Canada, but was driven thence on ac-
count Of the Mackenzie rebellion, in which
f. Ia IN nhiA md
practiced law, was made judge, and held his
position for many years. He had a wonder
full knowledge of the law reports. There
was not case that had been tried, it seemed
10 me, which he could not refer to in the
reports Of the various state and United States
courts, giving the volume and page on which
the case could be found, the names Of ths
plaintiffs and the defendants, and even the
and is worth about $4,000. He and Waite
correspond regularly, and attended a
dinner not long ago at which Waite, Edger-
ton and Latty were present.
"These three men are the most honest trio
know" Mr.. Hill continued. "Edgerton,
Waite and Latty are so honest that they
might be trusted with the wealth Of all Wall
street Of New York, and Threadneedle and
LOHlDaIu SbISGb4 vi AOlxQOus HIA0 belcy WOulu
render the account even to the cent. During
L,tty's early life in Ohio he had made good
deal OF money in land speculation, when he
became interested In the Miami and Erie
canal This failed, and he found himself
with q lot of creditors on his hands and
nothing to pay them. He took the benefit of
the bankrupt law and started anew. Ten
years later he had made another fortune.
He then brought forth his note books con-
tanning an alphabetical list OF all his credit
ors. He calculated their accounts with in
terest for ten years, sought them out and
paid up every cent. He would not allow
creditor to receive only his principal, but
made him take the interest as we'll
sit il a good deal the same with Edgerton.
Edgerton's father was a prominent New
Yorker, and Edgerton came to Ohio as the
agent OF . land company which owned q
large part of northwestern Ohio. This com
pany was afterward known as the Hicks Land
company, and Edgerton founded the town of
Hicksville and named it after Hicks He re-
ceived a salary from this company and
commission on his sales. He made money
very fast, and upon closing up the affairs of
the company he bought . large amount OF
land Of them at merely nominal price.
AIoag early in the seventies he was worth
between $500, 900 and 81 .OOO, 600, and he was
helping bis brother, Lycurgus Edgerton,
who was doing business in New York, His
brothep had only bis verbal promise for
surety, and when the panic of 1873 came
around aid caused him to fail to the extent
or $3.50, 600, Edgerton was not legally re-
sponsible for bis debts. Nevertheless he paid
every dollar Of them, though in doing so it
cost him the larger part of his fortune In
order to get the ready money he had to sell
valuable stocks, such as the Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne and Chicago railroad stock, and otIi-
ers which are now away above par but
which went then at sacrifice. Upon Edg-
erton's friends urging him not to pay these
debts Of bis brother, stating that be could
not De hald for them, he replied that the
legal obligation made no difference to him.
He had promised his brother that be would Be-